Oil burning system and apparatus



0ct.,-6, 1936. A. J. Gar-FORD OIL BURNING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS 2 m u@ mw H Oct. 6, 1936. A. J. GIFFORD OIL BURNING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1933 y Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE OIL BURNING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Application February 27, 1933, Serial No. 658,736 7 Claims. (Cl. 15S-36.6)

This invention relates to oil burningsystems and has particular reference to the range-type of oil burner.

A range-type oil burner usually comprises a base having an open top fuel channel with perforated outer and inner tubes surrounding the open top of the channel and upstanding Vthereabove and providing between them a combustion space in which the vapors of the fuel in the fuel channel are adapted tol burn. The fuel channel is supplied with fuel, usually oil, from a supply reservoir or pool, the level of fuel in which is maintained constant; and the fuel channel of the burner is so positioned with respect to the level of oil in the fuel reservoir that oil cannot rise in the fuel channel above the top thereof Vand above the oil level in the reservoir. Oil is supplied to the burner by a pipe extended between the reservoir and the burner, the pipe being below the fuel level and opening into the burner through the bottom thereof, or, more comm-only, the .pipe

opens into the lower part of a short vertical pipe, or carbon leg, the upper endof whichopens into the fuel channel of the burner. A control t5 valve is interposed in the pipe, usually vat the lowest point thereof, for the purpose of regulating the amount of oil supplied to the burner. I have found, however, that the control valvehas very little effect in regulating the amount of oil and that the rate of flow of oil is almost the same when the valve is nearlyclosed as vWhenzit ,is fully open, when the burner ishot sandis in steady operation. Hence the operation ofthe .burner can not be regulated as closely as is desired. I have found that the reason for the poorregulation is due to the manner in which the .oilfis vaporized in the burner. When-the burner. ispflrst started in operation the oil `stands in the fuel channel to the level of oil in the supplyreservoir. This oil, however, is burned away shortly after it is ignited so that when the burner is in steady operation and thus is hot the incoming oil is vaporized in the oil duct, or carbon leg, before it gets into the fuel channel. The rate ofiflow-of oil, .15 for any valve setting, depends upon'the difference in elevation between the free surface of the oil in the supply reservoir and the free surface of oil at the burner. If now the oil valve is partly closed so as to reduce the-rate offlow of oil,'.the 50 oil is vaporized farther downthe tube, it being understood that ample heat is conducted into the tube from the burner base to vaporize the oil. This lowered position of the vaporizing surface of the oil increases the effective head of oil that causes the flow of oil through the valve so that,

although the area of the valve opening is decreased the increase in head is such that the quantity of oil that passes through the valve in a unit of time is not changedmuch. A further closing of the valve causes the level of the vaporizing oilstanding in the carbon leg to drop there-Y by further increasing the difference in the level of oil in vthe carbonvleg and-the reservoir and further increases the head of oil that causes the oil to flow through the valve. The vapor passage above the oil is freely open so that there is little if any back pressure of vapor on the vaporizing oil. .Hence the manipulation of the valve has little effect in regulating the rate of flow of oil and consequently the oil consumption of the burner so that the burner in practice operates at about the samev capacity for any open position of the valve.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an oil burner system and particularly an .2O oil supply system for range-type burners wherein the rate of flow of oil into the burner can be regulated closely at will and wherein the temperature of the burner or the position of the level of the vaporizing oil does not influence the rate of ow of oil through the control valve to the burner. Y

A further object vof the present invention consists in maintaining a constant difference in the level of oil onbothsides of the control valve at o all times regardless of the condition of operation of the burner.

Another object of the invention is in providing an oil duct from the constant level oil supply reservoir to the burner, said duct having a part that is freely vented to the atmosphere and is lower than the oil level of the supply reservoir and above the normal position of the free vaporizing surface of the oil at the operating burner, yand in positioning theregulating valve in said duct below said elevated part and between it and the supply reservoir, whereby the head of oil on opposite vsides of the valve must be constant re- ;g-ardless of a variableelevation of the Vaporizing surfaceofthey oil at the burner.

In carrying outvmy invention I vfeed the oil vfromsa constant level pool or reservoir through the control valve and yinto another reservoir lWherelthe pool of oil is at a constantlevel that vis below that of the supply pool. Oil is arranged to-overflow-fromthe second pool into an overowqor collecting chamber and thence run freelyintothe burner. With this `arrangement the .head of oil on the valve is constant regardless ofthe operation ofthe burner as the levels of the two pools are maintained constant by structural members. Hence the rate of flow of oil through the Valve and to the burner can be closely regulated by the valve. Such a manner of feeding oil comprises an object of the present invention.

A yet further object of the present invention is the provision of improved means for priming the oil burner so that it can be supplied instantly with the full amount of oil necessary to heat the burner up to an operating temperature.

A further object of the invention is the provision of oil supply apparatus having a constant level oil reservoir, a priming chamber fed through a valve from the reservoir and in which oil is maintained at a constant level that is lower than that of the supply reservoir and which overflows into the burner, and priming apparatus including a displace-ment member that is adapted to displace oil in the priming chamber and to cause the displaced oil to overflow into the burner so as to charge the burner instantly with the starting amount of oil.

A range oil burner usually is provided with two independently operable burner units and accordingly I provide a fuel supply apparatus including two separate valves and two separate priming members with interlocking mechanism so arranged that a priming member can not be operated when the valve associated therewith is open. Since the two burner units usually are in close proximity in the same fire box, if one burner is in operation and the other is not, the unoperating burner may be hot and above the vaporizing point of the oil, due to the heat received by it from the operating burner and, under such condition, it may be dangerous to prime the idle burner. Hence a further object of the invention is, the provision of locking mechanism between the valves and the priming members so arranged that no priming member can be operated to prime its burner when any valve is in open position.

A further object is generally to improve the construction and operation of oil burners and fuel supply systems and apparatus therefor.

Fig. 1 'is a side elevation of an oil burning system embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the oil supply apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a detail taken generally along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and illustrating particularly the interlock between the regulating valve and the priming plunger.

The oil burner comprising a part of the present invention is herein illustrated as of the rangetype comprising two separate and identical burners lil and I2. Each burner includes a base I4 having an open top fuel chamber, usually in the form of an annular open top fuel channel I6, and spaced inner and outer perforated combustion tubes I8 and 20 which surround the open top of the fuel channel and extend thereabove and provide between them a combustion space in which the fuel vapor in the fuel channel burns. A liquid fuel, usually oil, is supplied to each burner through separate pipes 2| and 22, each pipe being freely in communication with the bottom of the fuel channel and being connected thereto usually by a vertical pipe or the equivalent 24, the upper end of which is screw-threaded into the bottom wall of the burner base and is connected at its lower end with one of the fuel pipes. The vertical passage in the pipe 24 is usually closed at its lower end by a removable plug 26 which is adapted to be removed for the purpose of cleaning out the carbon deposit that forms from time to time in said pipe. Said pipe is usually termed a carbon leg and it is in this pipe or the equivalent thereof that the free surface of the oil stands and where vaporization of the oil usually takes place when the burner is in steady operation. Oil is supplied to the burner from a constant level oil reservoir 28 which is supported by a standard 3D at such a height that the level of the oil therein is always below the top and above the bottom of the fuel channel I6 in the burner. The constant level oil supply reservoir here shown is generally rectangular and is open at the top and has a cylindrical side extension 32 located above the standard 3U and in which the neck of an inverted tank or oil bottle 34 is received, the lip of the neck being supported on the top faces of ledges 35. Oil from the bottle automatically flows into the oil reservoir 28 in the usual manner to constantly maintain the level of oil at the level of the top faces of the ribs 35 or at the line 36, Fig. 3.

Heretofore the oil has been conducted from the oil reservoir 28 through a control valve to the oil burner. In accordance with the present invention, however, the oil passes from the oil reservoir through head-controlling and priming apparatus and thence to the burner. Said apparatus comprises a generally rectangular casing 38 open at the top and carried by the oil supply reservoir 28. For some purposes the casing and the oil reservoir may be integral but as here shown the casing is a separate structure attached removably to the oil reservoir by a bracket plate 40 that is fixed to the rear vertical wall 42 of the casing and has at its upper end and spaced therefrom depending fingers 44 between which and the bracket the vertical side wall 46 of the oil reservoir is received. The lingers 44 can have one or more set screws 48 screw-threaded therein and bearing against the reservoir wall 46 thereby to clamp `the casing 38 securely yet removably thereto. The construction of the reservoir 28 is symmetrical so far as its opposite end walls are concerned and the casing 38 can be secured in the manner described to either end wall, which is sometimes an advantage. The bracket 40 has a plate 50 hinged thereto which overlies and rests upon the open top of and constitutes a cover for the oil reservoir.

The casing 38 is provided with two separate constant level overflow primary and timing reservoirs or wells 5I and 52 by walls which include the vertical side walls 54 and 56 and the intermediate vertical wall 58 which separates said reservoirs or compartments. The front wall of the casing is provided with a forwardly directed valve housing 60 having end walls 62 and 64, see especially Fig. 4, which are in effect continuations of the side walls 54 and 56 and an intermediate wall 66 which is a continuation of the intermediate partltion wall 58. Said walls 62, 64 and 66 are provided with aligned bosses 68, 'I6 and 'I2 which have aligned cylindrical openings therein. A

cylindrical valve casing I4 is forced into the openings in the bosses 68 and 'I6 and is an oil tight fit therein. A similar cylindrical valve casing 'I6 is forcedinto the .openings in the bosses 1.2 and '|0 and is an oil tight fit therein. The confronting ends of the valve casingsflllyand ,-16 are spaced apart to provide an oil entrance chamber 18 therebetween. Each valve is provided .with a valve stem which has an enlarged intermediate screw-threaded section-.82 that is screw-threaded in the valve casing and, Awhen the valve stem is rotated a predeterminedamount in van opening direction, abuts against the end of ya ring-84 that vis screw-threaded in the casing andthereby prevents further opening of lthe valve. -Said ring can be positioned in various axially displaced positions whereby -to adjust the valve stem for any selected extent of opening movementfthereof. The inner end of the valve casing is provided with an entrance 86 for the oiland the 'inner end of the valve stem is provided with a conical vseat and a V-slotted metering stem 88 -which accurately determines the area ofthe oil passage through the valve for any setting of vthe valve stem. Each valve casing hasa lateral outlet passage 90 lfrom which the oil passing through the valve from the central chamber `'|8 flows into a separate one of thechambers 5| and 52. Oil is conducted from the constant level supply reservoir 28 to the oil entrance chamber 18 of the valves through a pipe 92. Each valve stem is vprovided with a knob 94 by which the valve can be manually opened and the knob has a drum 96 provided with a series Aof numbers or marks that register with the end vof a name plate or other suitable witness means 98 by which'the extent of opening of the valve can be readily adjusted and inspected.

The constant llevel reservoirs 5| and 52 are provided with rear end walls |00 and |02 that constitute dams over the horizontal tops of which the oil in the reservoirs is adapted to flow and fall freely into separate overflow recesses or chambers |04 and |06 located behind said dams |00 and |02 and in front of the end Wall 42 of the casing. The pipes 2| and 22 connected with the burners L0 and I2 -are in communication with said recesses |04, |06 through outlet passages |08 in the bottom walls thereof, and the oil in said .recesses is adapted to flow freely through said vpipes .and into vthe burner, the pipes being free from valves or other restrictions. The tops of the d-ams |00 and |02 are above the -center line of the valves andthe bottoms of the fuel chambers I6 in the burners and are lower than the .level of oil in the constant level reservoir 28. Hence when the valves are open oil can flow from the constant level reservoir 28 through the valves and into the chambers 5| and 52 and thence over the dams and to the burners. The level of oil in the chambers 5| `and 52 is constant at the level |09 and the level of oil in the ,constant `level reservoir is constant at the level 36.. Oil can ,run down the pipes 2| and `22 faster than oil can pass through the valves in their maximum open condition, which is determined by the maximum amount of oil that the burner can burn safely. Hence oil Cannot collect in the overlow chambers to raise the level of the oil in the overow reservoir above the tops of the dams. Thus the head of oil that determines the flow of oil through the valves `is that height of oil at which the oil in the constant level reservoir stands above the dams |00 and |02, or is the difference between the levels '36 and 09. 'Thishead is independent of -anysetting of the valves and hence .the head .of .oil :that causes a dow .of oil through the .valves is constant regardless of any setting of the valves and regardless of any condition of yoperation of the vburners and the elevation of the vfree'vaporizing surface of the oilat the burners. Thus the iiow of oil to the burners varies only .with -varia- `tions in setting of the valves and is constant -for any valve setting under all conditions of operation of the burner. Thus the amountrof oil consumed by theburner in any given time, and the heat generated by the burner, can be accuratelyadjusted throughout the entire range vof fuel consumption within the capabilities of the vburner. The .valve can be set for a certain .rate of fuel consumption when the burner is first started in operation, and the valves do not have to be reset after the burner becomes hot, since the `rate of flow of oil through the valve is inno way influenced by the temperature of the burner.

The above described systemfcannot become air bound, a trouble that has been common heretofore. The tops of the overflow reservoirs and chambers are freely vented to the atmosphere, as will be apparent hereinafter, and the ends of the oil pipes 22 and 2| are at all times freely open both at the casing 38 and at the burners and lare free from intermediate restrictions so that there are no small passages or pockets in which air can collect and be retained to obstruct the flow of oil. Thus air in the pipes can readily escape. The valves are always under oil even though the level of oil in the constant supply reservoir 28 should drop below its normal level vdue to the exhaustion of oil in the bottle 34 and hence once the valves have been filled with oil, no air can enter and collect in the valves. The oil passages through the valves can be made larger than has been customary vheretofore `since the oil level on both sides of the valves is constant and the head is lower than usual so that there is little Apossibility of dirt or other obstruction lodging in the oil passages lof the valves.

The overflow `reservoirs 5| and 52 also constitute priming and timing reservoirs for the lburner and are provided with separate displacement members ||0 and ||2 which are adapted lto be moved into the oil in said reservoirs to displace oil therein and to cause the displaced `eil to overflow the dams and to run into the burners.

The displacement members comprise shells of 450 rectangular cross-section loosely ldisposed in the reservoirs 5| and 52 between the walls 54, 58,and 58, and being parallel and close to said walls so .that their freedom for angular movement is restricted. Said members are provided with vertical stems H4, 6 which are freely slidable through bosses ||8, |20 in a cover plate |22 for the casing and at their upper ends are terminated in knobs |24 and |26. Said members are hollow and are open at the bottoms but are otherwise tight and are provided with internal bosses |28 and |30 which are located within the upper ends `of helical springs |32, |34, the bottom ends of which bear upon the bottom walls of the` to heat the burner to normal operating temperature and to burn long enough for a priming reservoir to be reiilled with oil and oil to overflow and run into the burner.

The manner of starting a burner in operation is essentially as follows: The priming reservoir normally is full of oil as the result of a previous operation of the burner and the valve associated with the priming reservoir is closed. The displacement member is moved downwardly into the oil in the priming reservoir and causes the displaced oil to run over the dam and into the burner. The displacement member is then released and the oil level in the priming reservoir then drops below the dam to a level dependent upon the amount of oil displaced. The oil in the burner is then ignited and begins to heat up the burner. The oil-valve is then opened to whatever extent is desired andoil flows from the supply reservoir into the partially empty priming reservoir and refills it completely to overflowing before the priming charge of oil in the burner has been entirely consumed. It will be noted that the level of oil in the partially empty priming reservoir is considerably below its normal level immediately after the displacement member has been elevated out of the oil following the priming operation and hence the head of oil eifective in passing oil through the valve is considerably greater than the normal head. This increase in head following the priming operation causes the priming reservoir to be refilled and oil to overflow into the burner before the priming charge therein is consumed, thereby to maintain a continuous combustion.

Due to the fact that the location of the valve is xed with respect to the oil level in the supply reservoir, the dimensions of the overow or priming reservoir and the oil passage through the valve can be and are such that'the priming chamber is refilled with oil and oil is passed into the burner soon enough to prevent the burner from going out but not, even with the valve open to its maximum operating setting, in such quantity as to have in the operating burner more oil than the burner can burn safely. Hence, the burner can be primed, ignited and the valve opened to any desired setting, and thereafter ignored with safety.

Interlocking mechanism is provided between a valve and its associated priming mechanism so that the burner cannot be primed when the valve is open as the burner then might be accidentally primed when it was in operation and thus supplied suddenly with a relatively large amount of oil which it could not consume in a normal manner and hence a dangerous condition might result. The interlocking mechanism is also so arranged that no priming apparatus can be operated when any oil valve is open since otherwise an idle burner might be primed when it Was hot as the result of the operation of the adjacent burner and when the adjacent burner was in operation so that the priming oil would be too rapidly vaporized and the vapors ignited from the operating burner and burn under dangerous conditions. The interlocking mechanism includes a generally vertically disposed interlocking plate |36 which is disposed just in front of the rear wall 42 of the casing 38 and has downwardly extended ears |38 that are pivoted to ears |40 integral with and depending from the cover plate |22. The stems ||4, ||6 of the displacement members are provided with locking recesses |42, |44 which in the normal or elevated position of the displacement members are aligned'with locking pins |46, |48, that are movable horizontally into and out-of said recesses and are urged by springs |50 out of said recesses and into abutting engagement with the interlocking plate |36.

The casing 38 is provided with sidewalls |52 and |54 which are spaced respectively from the Walls 54 and 55, and on the upper ends of which the cover plate |22 is seated and is held removably thereto by screws |56. The spaces within said plates |52, |54 are open at the bottom so that the interior of the casing is freely vented. The interlocking plate |36 has parts or extensions |58 that depend into said spaces and at their lower ends abut against actuating pins |50 and |62 which are longitudinally slidable in bosses |54 and extend through the front wallA of the casing 38 and confront cam rings |66, |68, carried by the valve knobs 94 of the valves. Said cam rings are each provided with a notch |`||l which confronts its cooperating pin when the valve is closed, the outer face of the cam rings otherwise being cylindrical. The arrangement of the parts described is such that whenboth displacement members are in normal or elevated positions both valves can be opened and the opening of any valve causes the associated cam disc to move thc associated actuating pin rearwardly to rotate the upper end of the interlocking plate forwardly to press both locking pins |46, |48 into the recesses of the stems of the displacement members thereby to hold them in elevated position against depression; and the cylindrical face of the cam disc holds the lever against the locking pins so that neither displacement member can be depressed. When both valves are closed either or both displacement members can be depressed. This arrangement provides assurance that the burners can not'be primed at improper times.

I claim:

1. Oil burning-apparatus co-mprising a plurality of burners, a constant level oil supply reservoir therefor, means including regulating valves for controlling the admission of oil from said supply reservoir separately to each burner, separate priming apparatus for separately introducing a priming charge of oil to each burner, and means interlocking said valves andsaid priming apparatus arranged to lock all priming apparatus from operation except when all valves are closed.

2. Oil burning apparatus comprising two burners, means for supplying oil thereto for their normal operation, separate priming means for separately introducing a priming charge of oil into each burner for starting it in operation, and means for preventing the operation of both priming means when any burner is conditioned to receive a normal supply of oil.

3. Oil burning apparatus comprising two burners, means including regulating valves for supplying oil separately to each burner, separate priming means for separately introducing a priming charge of o-il into each burner, and means preventing the operation of both priming means when any one of said valves is open.

4. Fuel supply apparatus for oil burners comprising a casing having two oil reservoirs therein each provided with a dam over which the oil is adapted to flow and an outlet behind the respective dams, separate valves controlling the entrance of oil to said reservoirs, separate displacement members in said reservoirs movable into the oil therein, locking members movable into locking engagement with said displacement members for; holding them against operation, a

locking plate engageable with both locking members for moving them in a locking direction, and means extended between said valves and said plate for holding said plate in the locking position of said locking members except when both valves are closed.

5. Fuel supply apparatus for oil burners comprising a casing having two oil reservoirs therein each provided with a dam over which the oil is adapted to flow and an outlet behind the respective dams, separate valves controlling the entrance of oil to said reservoirs, separate displacement members in said reservoirs movable into the oil therein, locking pins movable into locking engagement with said displacement members to hold them from operative movement, means including a locking plate controlling the locking position of said pins, and control rods movably extended between said plate and said valves for controlling the position of said plate, said valves having cam surfaces that hold said rods and said plate in locking position except in the closed position of both valves.

6. Fuel supply apparatus for oil burners comprising a casing having two oil reservoirs therein each provided with a dam over which the oil is adapted to ow and an outlet behind the respective dams, separate valves controlling the entrance of oil to said reservoirs, separate displacement members in said reservoirs movable into the oil therein, locking pins movable into locking engagement with said displacement members to hold them from operative movement, a locking plate engageable with both pins for moving them together into locking position, and rods slidable in said casing externally of said reservoirs between said valves and plate and each rod being separately movable to actuate said plate and both locking pins, and said valves having cam surfaces that hold said rods in a locking position except in the closed positions of the Valves.

7. Fuel supply apparatus for oil burners comprising avcasing having side walls and an intermediate wall dening between them two oil reservoirs having dams and outlets behind the dams, valves carried by said casing having rotatable Valve members, displacement members located in the casings above the oil in said reservoir and movable downwardly thereinto, means including a locking plate movable into engagement with both displacement members conjointly for holding them against operative movement, said casing having outer walls spaced from said side walls and providing channels therebetween, said plate having parts located in said channels, and plate actuating rods located in said channels and interposed between said plate-parts and said valve members, and said valve members having cam members which hold said rods and plate in locking position except when both valve members are in closed position.

ALBERT J. GIFFORD. 

